Top Laptop Picks for 2012

All laptops are pretty much the same, right? Well, one that's got some nice extras is the Sony VAIO VPCEH34FX/B 15.5-Inch Laptop. It's got a "Web" button, which bypasses Windows to get directly into a customized web browser. This special browser starts fast, and is like a safety net if you're not sure all your Windows security software is up to date. It would be a great gift for someone who is not computer savvy. They can just press that one button and do most of the things they are likley to want to do on a laptop. Or if you have a roommate or family member that wants to use your computer, but you are afraid they might mess it up (you can require a login password for Windows).

The Dell Inspiron i15N-1294BK 15-Inch Laptop offers a lot of value. Since HP and Compaq merged, Dell fell out of the number one spot in PC sales. Lately they have been offering some really great deals, maybe to try to regain their old market sahre. And this is one of the best of the deals, with a second generation Intel core i3 processor, but priced like a lot of Pentium laptops. This is a good deal.

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101-A1 10.1-Inch Tablet is a tablet that can be mated to an optional dock to work similar to a laptop, or just as a tablet. The tablet runs on Android, which a lot of people refer to being locked into Apple's operating system. Computer Shopper called it "… the best Android slate we've seen". With the dock attached, it's got up to an amazing 16 hours of battery life.

If you're on a tight budget, a Refurbished Dell Latitude D630 14.1-Inch Notebook might be just the ticket. This was a popular model that Dell leased to corporations. When the leases run out, there's a glut of them on the used PC market, so they are very affordably priced. I have the predecessor to this model, and really like it.

You can get a very enjoyable stereo without spending a fortune. It's important to pick equipment that put sound quality first, and don't just pack on every feature imaginable. 

Note: this system does not include the source; you can hook it up to a laptop or a CD player, or a DVD player, or an MP3 player. You'll need to pick that part of the system.

Probably no major manufacturer represents that philosophy better than Onkyo. Their TX-8255 is made without cutting the usual corners in the power amp section. It will drive 4 ohm speakers, and can even produce dynamic power of 135 watts per channel into 2 ohms. This kind of "oomph" is almost unheard of at this price point. Onkyo also avoids using a lot of negative feedback in the circuit. While negative feedback circuits can allow a cheap design to have acceptable specs, the result is a receiver that would sound fatiguing to listen to for any length of time.

The speakers are the NHT SuperZero 2.0. At about $200 for two of them, they are a steal. This review kind of says it all as to how good they are.

If you have any "audiophile" friends, have them listen to this, but don't let them see the equipment at first. Turn the lights out or have them close their eyes. A lot of audiophiles would probably guess this system cost around $800. It does so much right, playing music with excellent clarity and dynamics. You should really enjoy this setep.

Optional

Depending on what sources you want, you might be interested in:

Onkyo BD-SP309 Blu-Ray Disc Player (can play CDs as well as DVDs)

Onkyo UP-A1 Dock for the iPod